Multiple crashes cause backups on I-70 in both directions

Traffic was backed up in both directions of I-70 on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012 due to six different accidents.

Multiple crashes cause backups on I-70 in both directions

Traffic was backed up in both directions of I-70 on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012 due to six different accidents.

UPDATE: 9:13 AM: CDOT reports that all lanes of I-70 at Havana are now open both direction following accident cleanup.

DENVER — Both east and westbound I-70 were closed in the middle of the Friday morning commute as authorities were attending to six different accidents.

The first accident took place near the Havana Street exit off the major Denver highway, and eventually led to the closure of eastbound I-70 at Central Park Boulevard entirely at 7:15 a.m.

But the accident issues were affecting both directions of traffic between Havana and Peoria Avenue.

A semi truck that broke down in the right lane headed east caused the first accident, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation spokesperson. The following accidents — at least in the westbound lanes — were likely caused by drivers slowing down to view the wreckage on the other side of the highway, according to CDOT.